When I crave a little more protein in my diet, I tend to go for wild salmon. It’s one of the most nutrient dense options, rich in flavor and in omega 3’s. Having wild caught salmon 1-2 times a week isn’t a concern for me like it would be other fish consumption – the FDA and EPA have both been studying mercury contamination in fish, and wild-caught salmon has consistently been at very low risk of mercury contamination. It’s also surprisingly easy to work with and has become a great option for a thirty minute dinner, a perfectly cooked medium temp filet cooks in right around 12 minutes. I love this spicy blackened version, topped with a charred sweet corn salsa with pops of fresh cilantro and hints of garlic and citrus. Pair this one with sides of your favorite greens for a well-balanced dinner.
Blackened Salmon with Charred Corn Salsa
Ingredients:
2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. sea salt (use 1 ½ tsp for the salmon seasoning and ½ teaspoon for the corn salsa)
4 6-ounce cut wild salmon filets, skin on & de-boned
3 ears fresh organic sweet corn, cut off the cob
1 garlic clove, pressed (optional)
1 large jalapeno, deseeded and finely diced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3-4 green onions, white and light green parts thinly sliced (optional)
juice of 1 lime
Directions:
Preheat grill and oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush corn with olive oil and grill a few minutes on each side until it has a light char. This will take about 12 minutes in total. Set corn aside to cool.
Prepare your blackening spices by adding your dried seasonings in a jar or mixing bowl; paprika, cayenne, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 ½ tsp. sea salt, and dried oregano. Shake in jar or stir to mix well.
Liberally season the skin side up of your salmon filets with the seasoning blend and place on your lined baking sheet in your preheated oven for 12 minutes (Alternatively, you could also grill the salmon if desired, place skin down on grill over medium high heat and cover with foil or an overturned pan and cook for approx. 9-10 minutes for medium temperature throughout, 11-12 minutes for medium well).
Cut the cooled corn off of the cob and place in a medium mixing bowl with your finely diced jalapeno, pressed garlic, and fresh chopped cilantro. Mix in the diced green onions, juice of 1 lime, and additional ½ tsp. of sea salt. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Remove cooked salmon from oven or from grill (if grilling the skin will stay behind) and spoon the charred corn salsa mix over top your salmon. Serve with your choice of veggies.
